Poverty in South Korea is a phenomenon that still afflicts families, especially those in which there are elderly persons. According to data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, 50% of people above the age of 65 live in a state of relative poverty. The cause is indicated in the countrys retirement system, which does not guarantee subsistence for this segment of the population, representing 7% of the 49 million people in South Korea. The phenomenon involves urban areas above all, where 81% of the population lives, and in a special way Seoul, with its 10 million inhabitants.

In the event of an invasion, explosives would blow up the fortification and send concrete blocks crashing down to form an instant barricade. This would slow North Korean tanks that presumably would be barreling down this road to Seoul.